Real Emotion
by videogameandanime-empress
Summary: Yuna, a famous musician, is seeking the 'Real Emotion' her songs talk about. The love she sang about, she wanted to experience first hand. Will Tidus help her discover the emotion she desires? AU, YunaXTidus, oneshot. Please read and review!


(**A/N) It's about time I write a Final Fantasy X fanfiction, really I've been addicted to the game lately. Considering this is AU don't worry about having finished the game or not. Actually, it's not really necessary that you've played the game at all. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy X, because if I did I would NOT have dressed Seymore the way he is... Also I do not own the song in this fic, I took it from X-2, as you probably noticed. **

_What can I do for you.. _

_What can I do for you... _

My voice echoed throughout the stadium, overpowering the masses of screaming fans. I opened my mouth wider, forcing my voice to carry further.

_I can't hear you... _

I pressed hard, trying to put my whole self into the words.

_I can't hear you. _

The song ended, leaving me gasping for breath. The crowds roared with applause, screams of delight and proclamations of love filled the air.

"Thank you.." I finally said into the microphone, now sweaty from my tight grip, "have a great night!" I turned and walked off stage, leaving pleas for an encore behind.

"You're pushing yourself..." Lulu, my agent, muttered as I passed by.

I stopped and looked at her, "I'm only trying to please the fans..." my voice was much more hoarse than I would have expected.

The roughness must have been obvious as Lulu replied irritated, "Listen to that, you were overworking it."

"I was just giving it my all," I replied casually, walking towards my dressing room, "and there's nothing wrong with that."

As I entered my dressing room, my cousin Rikku, who was also my best friend, pounced on me, "That was great Yunnie! You were so awesome!"

"I'm just trying my best.." I tried to smile, though I was much too tired to do so.

I walked over to the couch, placed in the center of the room, and sat down, exhausted. "You're trying too hard," Rikku followed me, "if you do this too much you'll hurt yourself, you know?"

"I'm fine," I closed my eyes, "I want to keep my fans happy. That's all..." I gave the same excuse, over and over. I wanted to please my fans, that was all I needed to be happy. But that wasn't true, my music was my life, it was all I had. I needed to press harder, try and do better, more for myself than anyone. I was too stubborn to say that though.

"Just promise you won't try too hard..." Rikku put her hand on my shoulder as she sat next to me.

"Tonight's the last night of the tour," I reminded her, "I'll have a break for at least three weeks before I sing again. I'll be fine."

She looked at me for a moment and nodded before getting up and leaving, leaving me alone to think in silence. I knew I shouldn't force myself to do more than I could, but I did it anyway. It felt like if I would sing the words enough they would become true. That I would experience 'Real Emotion'.

The title of my hit song always left a bitter taste in my mouth as I spoke them. I had no comprehension of real emotion, why should I sing about it? A song about love, sung by someone with no love. Yet it was this song that made me famous.

If it weren't for that charade, I wouldn't have a career. I rose to stardom from a lie. Sure, there were plenty of musicians who could sing music they didn't feel with ease. They could even contradict themselves through their lyrics without a second thought.

I envied them. Every time I would sing my lie, it hurt. But I continued to do it, I continued to pain myself in an effort to create real emotion. It was a sick, twisted illusion.

It was my life.

Cheap motels, going from city to city singing the same sugar coated lies. It was my life, and I was drowning in it.

I could hear Lulu approaching my dressing room door, with someone, "Really Wakka, just because I give you backstage passes doesn't give you the right to harass her."

"I just want to meet her okay?" he paused, "He's the one that you should worry about."

Another voice joined them, "Shut up, besides you TOLD me I could meet her if I came tonight, and I really want to."

" 'Cause you're a fan boy ya?"

"Enough," Lulu ended the conversation, "she's in here." I could hear the door knob turn, "Yuna?" she called cracking open the door a bit.

"Come in," I stood up to greet them.

Standing next to Lulu was the one I believed she called Wakka. I recognized him from some pictures Lulu had, her boyfriend perhaps? Standing next to him was a man I didn't recognize, though I very much would have liked to. He was tan and had streaky blonde hair, not to mention his stunning bright blue eyes.

"This is Wakka," Lulu indicated toward the red haired man next to her, did she mumble the word boyfriend? "and his friend."

"Nice to meet you," I nodded at them both.

"You were great tonight Yuna." Wakka's friend spoke with enthusiasm. I could sense he meant it, rather than just stating it for the sake of politesse.

I locked eyes with him and smiled, "Thanks," still not looking away I asked, "is there anything I can get the two of you. An autograph or anything?"

"Nah, that's okay," Wakka replied, "so, this is you're last concert for the tour, ya? You goin' back home or somethin'."

Lulu opened her mouth to say something, but I spoke first, "No, I'm probably just going to stay in a hotel here in Besaid." I broke my eye contact, and gave a reassuring look to Lulu that I was alright.

"Really?" Wakka's friend asked curiously, causing his comrade to elbow him in the ribs.

"Yuna," Lulu stepped forward, "Rikku gave you your room number and information?" I nodded, "Alright, call me if you have any trouble. I'll be staying in Besaid as well."

"Alright, have fun on your vacation." I put on my best smile, trying to show her she was wrong, that I wasn't miserable. She was, of course, right though.

"You need a ride?" Wakka asked generously.

"No," I declined, "I'll take a taxi." I lied.

"Alright, let's go then. Bye Yuna, nice meeting you."

I stood still even after they'd closed the door behind them. I would be staying in Besaid, because I had no home to return to.

I could have easily afforded a house, yet I never bought one. I simply let my money accumulate in my bank account, completely unaware of it's existence. What was the point in buying a house, that would remain empty for half the year? It all seemed pointless to me.

As I walked to my hotel, the chilly cold air blew lightly, causing bits of my hair to stick to my lip gloss. I brushed it away and continued walking. I had a limo, for riding to shows, but I didn't like to ride in it otherwise. I liked walking, I enjoyed the fresh air.

I knew where the hotel was, only a half a mile away from the stadium. I was almost there.

I pulled my jacket tighter around me, trying to shield myself from the cold. There was no one in sight. The street were empty, and the night was silent. As it should be, it was nearly one in the morning, my concert had dragged on longer than expected.

A few feet in front of me, someone had turned a corner, but suddenly halted. Apparently as surprised as I was, stopping me in my tracks. I stared at the figure before me a moment. I could tell that he was a man, though the details were sketchy, he didn't look very old.

"Yuna?" I recognized the voice to be that of Wakka's friend.

"Oh." I gasped, "It's you.." I said this, unaware of what his name was.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously, stepping closer to me.

"I'm walking to my hotel, it's only a couple of blocks away." I tried to cover up my foolishness.

"Alone?" he asked, not accusingly though, mostly just surprised.

I sighed, it sounded ridiculous when he said it, "Yes.." I spoke softly.

"Well," he said, "I'll walk you the rest of the way, okay?" No scolding? No telling me how stupid I was being?

"Yes, that would be nice." I said quickly, almost excited by his offer. Though why I wasn't sure, but it gave me an unexpected thrill.

As we walked through the darkness, he asked me questions about myself. Most of which I could answer automatically, without thinking, leaving me time to study his features each time we passed beneath a street light.

After it became silent I started to ask him something, but he stopped me, "I know what it's like." he said in a different tone than the lighter one he'd used all night.

"What?" I stopped walking, confused.

He stopped as well, "I know what it's like.." he looked me straight in the eyes, "to have nowhere to go. I used... to live in Zanarkand."

"Oh.." I said, my voice barely audible even to my own ears. Zanarkand, was a small country outside of Spira, where I lived; it was in constant turmoil, up until it's final destruction only a few years prior to that night. Most of its citizens had been killed, the rest were driven out of their homeland. Many had fled to Spira for safety.

He began walking again, and I fell into step with him. "If you don't want to talk about it," he continued, "it's okay." We were in front of the hotel and he walked me to the entrance. "Here?" he asked.

"Yes." I assured him. We stood in the light, looking at each other for a minute, "Thank you.." I finally said.

"No problem," he grinned, "I wasn't really ready to go back to Wakka's yet, and-"

"I don't just mean... walking me here." I finished.

Again he said smiling, "No problem," he turned to leave, "well I'll be going now." He waved and started walking away.

"Wait!" I exclaimed, surprised by my own voice I, as did he, jumped.

"Huh?" he spun around.

I cleared my throat, which was still raspy from my concert, "What's your name?"

He smiled brightly, "Tidus."

Tidus I repeated over and over in my mind as I slid the key card in the door to my hotel room. I creaked open the door and entered swiftly, in order to escape the freezing chills in the hall.

My suitcase was set in between the bed and a small table in the corner of the room. On the table a note was left. It read: Be sure to get some rest! -Rikku I set the note back down and stretched out across the bed. The sheets wreaked worse than the air had smelled when I first walked in.

I pulled out my cell phone and hit speed dial number three. "Hello? Lulu? ...Yeah, yeah everything's fine." I spoke into the phone, "...Yeah, she left it here... mhm... hey, can you tell me where Wakka lives?"

It wasn't that bad. I reminded myself, it's not like I was stalking him. I just wanted to talk some more with him. Yet I still felt so stupid.

I stood before the address Lulu had told me. This was where he was staying. He probably wasn't even there, I looked at my watch, it was nearly noon.

I walked up to the door, knocking lightly, half expecting there to be no one home. Instead, the door was opened by the person I wanted to see the most. Or the least, depending on how I looked at it.

"Yuna." he said excitedly.

"Hi..." I said awkwardly, "I was just... nearby and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to have lunch... or something. If you aren't busy..." I was feeling more and more ridiculous with each word. What was I saying?

"That'd be great." he said, flashing his perfect, white teeth.

We'd been sitting in our booth in the restaurant well over an hour past when we'd finished eating, causing our lunch to last beyond two in the afternoon.

I laughed, "Tell me more." I pleaded, still giggling.

"Well-" a beeping cut him off. He looked at his watch. "Oh, sorry I've gotta go. It's almost time for practice." he stood up.

I did the same, "Practice?" I asked disappointedly.

"Didn't I tell you?" he smiled, "I may not be the star player of the Zanarkand's Abes any more, but I play blitz ball here too, with Wakka. I joined the Besaid Aurochs."

"Oh," I said intrigued. Blitz ball was Spira's most popular sport, though I didn't know too much about it. "Maybe I should watch you play sometime."

"Yeah," Tidus moved closer to me, "and maybe we should do this again..."

"I'd like that.." I said leaning forward on the balls of my feet, so we met eye to eye.

I tilted my head and he pulled me in closer until out lips met in a kiss. His lips were warm, and his kiss loving. I breathed in deeply, trying to capture his scent and burn it into my memory.

Much too soon he began to pull away and I did the same. When I opened my eyes, I discovered my arms had managed to wrap themselves around his neck. His hands on my waist. We parted and he left, only saying "Later." before disappearing from sight.

I laid across the bed of my hotel room, stretched out, watching Tidus. He continued to flip through the same three channels he had been ignoring for the past half hour.

It was silent for the first time in awhile, our mindless chatter had died down. I'd been thinking about the question he'd asked me, why? Why was I living the miserable excuse for a life the way I was? Why didn't I buy a house, settle down, and be happy?

Simple questions. Complex answers.

"So," he spoke to me, standing up from the awkward sitting position he'd been in, "what're you going to do now?"

He meant about my career. A soulless musician was no good to anyone, but he seemed to think things weren't as bad as I thought. Maybe he had a point though, maybe...

That's when the weight of my burden nearly crushed me, all at once I was overcome with a sadness. I didn't want to just take off and sing meaningless songs anymore, I didn't want to. Tears flooded my eyes.

"Yuna?" Tidus asked concerned. I tried concealing my sobs as best I could, but it just became stronger and I was starting to panic. "Yuna.." he repeated, seating himself next to me on the bed.

He place a hand on my cheek, calming me down instantly, and pulled me into a kiss. This one differed from the others though, it lasted far longer, and sparked something within me that I'd never felt before.

"I love you..." I was crying again, but this time my lips formed a smile as the tears rolled down my cheek.

"I love you too..." he pulled me into another kiss, even more amazing than it's predecessor.

So was this that real emotion I'd been searching for? Love... it felt nice.

**(A/N) Um... that was a really weird story. I didn't really give the ending much closure did I? Well, now there's room for a sequel! YAY! XD Kidding! That'd be scary, I mean this is pretty long come to think of it... HOLY CRAP!!!! This is WAY longer than any oneshot I've EVER written, I can guarantee that! Well, I put lot's of time into this.. so will you review?!??!**


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